Indian Railways Thread | Info, Queries & Reviews

ghodlur · 15th March 2011, 11:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

Hi

A pretty tricky situation in here for me. Clarifications required.

My wife and daughter are travelling on confirmed tickets. Suddenly, my Sis-in-law wants to join them in travel. When I book the ticket for her, she's on waiting list. Can she board the train and share the berth with my daughter, since all of them are going to the same place. Since the travel originating station is in midnight, I just want to confirm the same.

Your thoughts are highly appreciated.

If the waiting list ticket manages to make through to the RAC list then your sis in law can atleast get a guarented seat. Then you can make the adjustment after the TC has examined the ticket. But if the status remains in the waiting list then she cant board the train legally, although you could talk to the TC and make arrangements.
Normally the TC's do have a lot of options (read extra money for ticket).

travelwriter · 15th March 2011, 12:09

Can we use makemytrip to book train tickets? Is it the same as IRCTC or is it through a third party? Has anyone tried booking through this and got valid travel tickets?

Do let me know, please

supremeBaleno · 15th March 2011, 12:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

My wife and daughter are travelling on confirmed tickets. Suddenly, my Sis-in-law wants to join them in travel. When I book the ticket for her, she's on waiting list. Can she board the train and share the berth with my daughter, since all of them are going to the same place.

Is your SIL's ticket a paper-ticket/i-ticket or e-ticket ? If it is paper ticket/i-ticket, she can travel even if status remains WL - just talk to TTE and should be OK. But if it is e-ticket and if her WL status does not get upped to RAC/Confirmed by the time charts are prepared (which is like 4 hours before departure of the train), the e-ticket will get auto-cancelled and she can't travel.

lambuhere1 · 15th March 2011, 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

There will be no issue but depends upon class of travel.

I definitely hope so. Class of travel is 2A

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Normally the TC's do have a lot of options (read extra money for ticket).

I dont mind the options.

Quote:

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Is your SIL's ticket a paper-ticket/i-ticket or e-ticket ? If it is paper ticket/i-ticket, she can travel even if status remains WL - just talk to TTE and should be OK. But if it is e-ticket and if her WL status does not get upped to RAC/Confirmed by the time charts are prepared (which is like 4 hours before departure of the train), the e-ticket will get auto-cancelled and she can't travel.

Supreme God, You put in a dilema now. Yes, its a e-ticket. Does it make sense for me to for a i-ticket. Since she will be boarding at a different station where I will be not present. Kindly give me a headsup please on it. If required, I can book a i-ticket now.

Love to hear from you.

supremeBaleno · 15th March 2011, 13:11

When is the date of travel ? What is the WL status ? Do you see chances of this getting to atleast RAC ? If not, I suggest you get a WL paper-ticket from the counter. I say counter because i-ticket is couriered home and will take 2 days atleast.

jigbarai · 15th March 2011, 13:11

Yes, it makes sense for you to get the i ticket.

The thing with e-ticket is, for a particular PNR - if all the passengers on that PNR are wait listed at the time of chart preparation, that entire PNR is cancelled automatically (money refunded) and no one is legally allowed to travel (it is considered ticketless).

However, even on eticket, on one particular PNR - say there are 4 members and on chart preparation, say 2 of them are either confirmed / RAC and other 2 are waitlisted .. this PNR does not get auto cancelled.
Here, the 2 waitlisted folks are still valid ticket holders and can travel.

Hope it clarifies.

lambuhere1 · 15th March 2011, 13:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

When is the date of travel ? What is the WL status ? I say counter because i-ticket is couriered home and will take 2 days atleast.

Supreme, Day of Travel is in First week of April. RLWL status is showing 4. I have my own apprehensions on RLWL tickets !

Quote:

Originally Posted by jigbarai

Yes, it makes sense for you to get the i ticket.

The thing with e-ticket is, for a particular PNR - if all the passengers on that PNR are wait listed at the time of chart preparation, that entire PNR is cancelled automatically (money refunded) and no one is legally allowed to travel (it is considered ticketless).

However, even on eticket, on one particular PNR - say there are 4 members and on chart preparation, say 2 of them are either confirmed / RAC and other 2 are waitlisted .. this PNR does not get auto cancelled.
Here, the 2 waitlisted folks are still valid ticket holders and can travel.

Hope it clarifies.

Jigbarai, Thanks a ton for the clarification. Looking at your experiences and Supreme's feedback, I believe I will go for I-ticket now.

With i-ticket atleast my SIL can board the train and can convince the TTE about travelling with the family on my daughter's berth.

Love you guys. Will keep you updated on the status.

ghodlur · 15th March 2011, 13:47

I was in a similar condition when the WL no was very high and the chances of confirmation seemed zero. Thats when I ventured for tatkal and had 5 friends simulataneoulsy try for the tickets with finally one of them succeeded. I simply could not open the IRCTC page on that day.

mayankk · 15th March 2011, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelwriter

Can we use makemytrip to book train tickets? Is it the same as IRCTC or is it through a third party? Has anyone tried booking through this and got valid travel tickets?

Do let me know, please

yes you can.
It interfaces with irctc only.
Good part is you CAN get names and times of trains even if IRCTC is not responding(not fares/wait list status/bookings).

dar3dev|l · 15th March 2011, 14:49

Just came across these videos:

YouTube - Touts hack Tatkal ticket system: STAR News exposé - 1

YouTube - Touts hack Tatkal ticket system: STAR News exposé - 2

Am really

to see this but also confused as to if the fraud is indeed true why has it not been brought to the limelight yet ? i mean in the leading newspapers, other news channels etc.

Ragul · 15th March 2011, 16:39

One can possibly reduce the success rate of automated software by rate-limiting transaction by IP to just ONE ticket every 15 mins. i.e Once a transaction is designated as having completed the source IP address that was used to book the ticket should be redirected to a waiting room application on another server farm, driven by a probabilistic algorithm, for the next 15 mins.
This other server farm can be dedicated to running this waiting room app only thus freeing up tcp connections on the booking server to enable others to login without performance impact.

Once the success rate reduces, purchasing the software will not make economic sense and the product will die off the market. The 15 mins cycle per IP, will hopefully give genuine travelers a chance to complete their transactions.

Just an idea.

silversteed · 15th March 2011, 17:24

Ragul, but how can you expect that to happen if the authorities themselves are hand in glove with the agents/software vendor, as suspected by the reporter? In fact, no such IP screening is required if the concerned authorities follow the rules strictly.

dar3dev|l · 15th March 2011, 19:52

^^ i agree ! From my limited technical knowledge what i can understand is these third party software company would have got hold of the private connectors from the IRCTC guys (ofcourse in exhange of some hefty cash). These connectors are then used to submit the details directly to the database. Plus not to forget each software can submit 25 concurrent tickets and the software is worth mere 8000 bucks, so imagine the number of such agents and the number of concurrent bookings sent at 8am every morning.

On other note, one can relate this to the stock market application where multiple orders are sent every morning when the market starts. But then yes that is stock market and this ticket booking :-)

I really hope they take this seriously and do something about it or else a genuine traveller would never be able to book a tatkal ticket via internet !

Ragul · 16th March 2011, 00:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar3dev|l

^^ i agree ! From my limited technical knowledge what i can understand is these third party software company would have got hold of the private connectors from the IRCTC guys (ofcourse in exhange of some hefty cash). These connectors are then used to submit the details directly to the database. Plus not to forget each software can submit 25 concurrent tickets and the software is worth mere 8000 bucks, so imagine the number of such agents and the number of concurrent bookings sent at 8am every morning.!

Me thinks its a plain http POST form submission done concurrently. There is no special requirement or connector required. the http servers on irctc then updates their OLTP database.

HTH

wildon · 14th April 2011, 10:12

Here is my Tatkal booking experience today.

Till 7.54 a.m (irctc site timings)everything works superfast in irctc including quick book.
At 7.55 a.m (irctc site timings) quick option went down and got a message that " Quick book option not available from 8.00a.m to 9.00 a.m"

Gone to the "Plan My Travel" and got a message " Service not available"

At 8.05 a.m all Tatkal seats gone to the Waiting list mode.

15th March 2011, 12:09	#197
travelwriter BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 302 Thanked: 120 Times	Makemytrip Can we use makemytrip to book train tickets? Is it the same as IRCTC or is it through a third party? Has anyone tried booking through this and got valid travel tickets? Do let me know, please
	() Thanks

15th March 2011, 13:11	#200
supremeBaleno Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chennai / Kochi Posts: 5,677 Thanked: 2,907 Times View My Garage	re: Indian Railways Thread \| Info, Queries & Reviews When is the date of travel ? What is the WL status ? Do you see chances of this getting to atleast RAC ? If not, I suggest you get a WL paper-ticket from the counter. I say counter because i-ticket is couriered home and will take 2 days atleast.
	() Thanks

15th March 2011, 13:11	#201
jigbarai BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 560 Thanked: 39 Times	re: Indian Railways Thread \| Info, Queries & Reviews Yes, it makes sense for you to get the i ticket. The thing with e-ticket is, for a particular PNR - if all the passengers on that PNR are wait listed at the time of chart preparation, that entire PNR is cancelled automatically (money refunded) and no one is legally allowed to travel (it is considered ticketless). However, even on eticket, on one particular PNR - say there are 4 members and on chart preparation, say 2 of them are either confirmed / RAC and other 2 are waitlisted .. this PNR does not get auto cancelled. Here, the 2 waitlisted folks are still valid ticket holders and can travel. Hope it clarifies.
	() Thanks

15th March 2011, 13:47	#203
ghodlur Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6,236 Thanked: 4,732 Times View My Garage	re: Indian Railways Thread \| Info, Queries & Reviews I was in a similar condition when the WL no was very high and the chances of confirmation seemed zero. Thats when I ventured for tatkal and had 5 friends simulataneoulsy try for the tickets with finally one of them succeeded. I simply could not open the IRCTC page on that day.
	() Thanks

15th March 2011, 16:39	#206
Ragul BANNED Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,261 Thanked: 963 Times	re: Indian Railways Thread \| Info, Queries & Reviews One can possibly reduce the success rate of automated software by rate-limiting transaction by IP to just ONE ticket every 15 mins. i.e Once a transaction is designated as having completed the source IP address that was used to book the ticket should be redirected to a waiting room application on another server farm, driven by a probabilistic algorithm, for the next 15 mins. This other server farm can be dedicated to running this waiting room app only thus freeing up tcp connections on the booking server to enable others to login without performance impact. Once the success rate reduces, purchasing the software will not make economic sense and the product will die off the market. The 15 mins cycle per IP, will hopefully give genuine travelers a chance to complete their transactions. Just an idea. Last edited by Ragul : 15th March 2011 at 16:56.
	() Thanks

15th March 2011, 17:24	#207
silversteed Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Electri-City Posts: 2,366 Thanked: 2,236 Times	re: Indian Railways Thread \| Info, Queries & Reviews Ragul, but how can you expect that to happen if the authorities themselves are hand in glove with the agents/software vendor, as suspected by the reporter? In fact, no such IP screening is required if the concerned authorities follow the rules strictly.
	() Thanks

15th March 2011, 19:52	#208
dar3dev\|l BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Munich, DE Posts: 292 Thanked: 100 Times	re: Indian Railways Thread \| Info, Queries & Reviews ^^ i agree ! From my limited technical knowledge what i can understand is these third party software company would have got hold of the private connectors from the IRCTC guys (ofcourse in exhange of some hefty cash). These connectors are then used to submit the details directly to the database. Plus not to forget each software can submit 25 concurrent tickets and the software is worth mere 8000 bucks, so imagine the number of such agents and the number of concurrent bookings sent at 8am every morning. On other note, one can relate this to the stock market application where multiple orders are sent every morning when the market starts. But then yes that is stock market and this ticket booking :-) I really hope they take this seriously and do something about it or else a genuine traveller would never be able to book a tatkal ticket via internet ! Last edited by dar3dev\|l : 15th March 2011 at 19:57.
	() Thanks

14th April 2011, 10:12	#210
wildon BANNED Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,442 Thanked: 1,253 Times View My Garage	re: Indian Railways Thread \| Info, Queries & Reviews Here is my Tatkal booking experience today. Till 7.54 a.m (irctc site timings)everything works superfast in irctc including quick book. At 7.55 a.m (irctc site timings) quick option went down and got a message that " Quick book option not available from 8.00a.m to 9.00 a.m" Gone to the "Plan My Travel" and got a message " Service not available" At 8.05 a.m all Tatkal seats gone to the Waiting list mode.
	() Thanks